This blog covers all things baseball in 1977. Baseball cards from that year is a main focus of the site.

Friday, May 4, 2012

1977 Topps Baseball #178 - Bombo Rivera

Bombo Rivera was signed by the Montreal Expos in 1970 and started playing professional baseball when he was still 17 years old.

Rivera spent several years in the minors and finally made the Montreal ballclub in 1975. Bombo played in five April games and batted .111 (1 for 9) before being sent back to the minors for the rest of the season.

Bombo made the Expos as a backup outfielder in 1976 and this time he stayed with the team for the entire season. Rivera batted .276 in 68 games.

Bombo stayed with the Twins as a backup outfielder for the next three seasons. In 1978 he batted .271 in 101 games and also had a .362 on base percentage. Rivera batted .281 in 112 games in 1979 and .221 in 44 games in 1980. In April 1980 Bombo suffered a fractured kneecap that ruined his season.

Rivera didn't make the Twins ballclub in 1981 and he was released during spring training. Bombo signed with the Kansas City Royals and spent the entire 1981 season in AAA Omaha.

Bombo was in Omaha again for the 1982 season. He was called up to Kansas City in September and batted .100 (1 for 10) in five games. This was the last major league action Rivera would have.

Rivera was cut loose by the Royals at the end of spring training in 1983. He played in the minors for the Royals organization and the St. Louis Cardinals organization.